Railroad Crossing to close

The Youmans Road railroad crossing, the location of a collision between an SUV and two locomotives, will be closed within a year, according to New Scotland Town Supervisor Tom Dolin.

We came to a final agreement, Dolin said. "The crossing will be close as soon as possible."

Dolin met with Department of Transportation officials on Friday, Dec. 5, to discuss how to proceed funding a solution to the unsafe railroad crossing. He said plans to construct a 1700-foot road that would connect Great View Terrace to Youmans Road are in place and could be complete within a year.

The collision spawning the action occurred at about 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, when a Range Rover driven by Peter A. Salerno, 38, with his two children, ages 8 and 10, as passengers, was initially struck on the front of the passenger side by a westbound train. The vehicle spun around and was then struck again by an eastbound train in the rear of the passenger side. The car was eventually pushed clear of the eastbound side and rested on the shoulder clear from danger.

All three of the vehicle's occupants were transported to the Albany Medical Center Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Salerno was charged by the Albany County Sheriff's Department with "failing to stop at a railroad crossing," a class "A" misdemeanor and is scheduled to appear in New Scotland Town Court on Thursday, Dec. 18.

Dolin said the Town Board had an emergency meeting on Monday, Dec. 1 to discuss safety issues at the Youmans Road railroad crossing prior to Friday's meeting with DOT.

"The town is going slow as far as incurring any expenses," Dolin told the Spotlight Newspapers before Friday's meeting.

As Dolin hoped, the town will not incur any costs as CSX Transportation, the owner of the two trains that collided with Salerno, and the Federal Highway Administration will handle the estimated to $450,000 cost to construct the road.